How I performed non-stop stand-up comedy for over 42 hours – Gandoki

Top Nigerian comedian, Tony Ereku, popularly called Gandoki, recently made history as the first comedian in the world to perform non-stop stand-up comedy for 42 hours and 12 seconds.

Following the feat, Gandoki now holds the new world record for the Longest Stand-up comedy performance by an individual. He beat the past record of 40 hours and 8 minutes, which was held by an American.

The world breaking challenge began on Thursday, September 29, by 8:00 pm at the Exclusive mansions hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. It climaxed at about 12:34 pm on Independence Day.

His colleagues Ali Baba, Bovi, Kofi, Seyilaw, Ushbebe and Shakara, to mention a few, witnessed the landmark event which was streamed live to a global audience.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, a visibly excited Gandoki said, “I have upstaged the existing record holder, an American comedian Midnight Swinger aka David Scott whose stand-up comedy performance was 40 hours and 8 minutes long. His record was made in 2013.

“My performance lasted 42 hours, 12 seconds. It started at about 8pm on Thursday and ended around 1pm on Saturday.”

Speaking about the event, which was witnessed by a delegation from the Guinness Book of Records, the comedian, who also manages a haulage business said, “I talked non-stop and I was only allowed to take a break once throughout my performance. I could only pause for a very short time; in fact it was less than a minute.

“This was one of the rules set by the Guinness Book of Records, which I had to adhere with. The organisers only allowed me take a 16-minute break through out my performance,” he said.

Asked how he came up with a rich repertoire of jokes to last 40 hours, he said, “I did not rehearse or cram any jokes I cracked before I mounted the stage. All I was concerned with was ensuring that I captivate my audience and beat the then-existing world record.”

Although one of the established comedians in the Nigerian entertainment scene, Gandoki’s career appeared a bit threatened by the emergence of a crop of talented funny men a few years back.

However, in a bid to reclaim his position in the comedy spotlight, Gandoki, who was named the official comedian of the National football team at the 2016 Rio Olympics said, “Not many people are aware that between 1998 and 2016, I had covered a total of about 148 hours of stand-up comedy.

“I embarked on the mission to put Nigerian comedy and comedians on the world map. I wanted to prove to critics that I do not need to brag about my abilities because I know that I have a lot of stuff which the world has yet to see.”